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NSW AAGPS 2024

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Rudderless

Trevor Allan (34)
In March this year Rugby Australia committed to participate in a two-year global law trial, facilitated by World Rugby, which will result in the legal tackle height being reduced from below the line of the shoulders to the sternum at Community level.

Following consultation with our Member Unions as well as coaches, match officials, administrators and medical professionals, the tackle height will be lowered to below the base of the sternum for all competitions below Super Rugby that commence on or after February 10, 2024. This change in law will include all Premier Grades, School Competitions, and Pathway Competitions.

In all stakeholder engagement, key consideration was given to:
  • enhancing player safety.
  • the experience for the players, including professional players.
  • additional challenges that could be encountered by match officials.
  • possible changes to tactics and tackle technique currently being coached.
  • perception of the game by people not currently involved in rugby.
Changing the legal tackle height to the base of the sternum ensures the tackler's head is lower relative to the ball carrier's body, minimising the risk of head-to-head, and head-to-shoulder contact, and reducing the risk of head injury to both players. Initial trials and research findings over the last six years have indicated that the risk of concussion is 4.2 times higher when a tackler's head is positioned above the sternum of the ball carrier and the safest place to tackle is between the waist and sternum. The global law trial includes major Unions around the world such as England, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales, and early indications are very positive with significant reduction in head impacts and suspected concussion being reported.

As part of the research select competitions around the world are being filmed and then analysed by World Rugby to undertake a comparison between significant head impacts and concussion under the previous law and the variation, as well as tracking the variation year to year. This assessment will review the positioning of tackler and ball carrier, their head proximity, point of contact, tackle type, direction of players, evasion techniques, number of passes preceding tackle etc. Game metric outcomes such as ball in play time, passing rate and offloads will also be captured as part of the trial evaluation.

To support your coaches and match officials with this transition to the new tackle height we have produced a range of resources and training materials. Match officials will be asked to place greater emphasis on the existing law preventing a ball carrier from “dipping” into a tackle and placing themselves, and potentially the defender, in an unsafe position for contact. The new law will not change the ability for an attacking player to "pick-and-go" where the ball carrier typically starts and continues at a low body height. The defender will still be required to avoid contact with the head and neck of the ball carrier as stipulated in the existing World Rugby Head Contact framework.

It is important to note there may be an adjustment period for players and match officials so please be patient through this time. For more information and ongoing updates, please visit our website.

We will continue to ensure that any decisions impacting the game are informed by research and evidence that prioritise player safety and welfare.

Thank you for your involvement in Rugby.

Kind Regards,


Phil Waugh - CEO, Rugby Australia
 

Agent

Billy Sheehan (19)
A lot to happen before we can even speculate. Haven't read into it but will the number remain per year? Hence some boys won't be in the year or is it extra enrolments on top of current number in which they would have the same depth as current.

Might be some resource shifting but Girls play Rugby at Barker as well. Barker are an easy comparison to reach for but they run a Rugby program with a clear focus at the top and not the whole from what it seems anyway. Not sure if Co-Ed has had much to do with it. Not sure on the gender split at Barker but they have over 2,500 total students and Riverview has 1,500. Don't think they girls are the issue.

Barker boys, obviously, compete in the CAS comp and their girls compete in the ISA comp against the likes of Kinross, Scots All Saints et al. Not sure what New are planning to do for a girls comp but ISA could be an option.
 

The Front Rower

Ward Prentice (10)
I know where you've got this information from but you're very misinformed. The boys are training hard and have a great preseason program going.
A few are playing SG Ball for various teams like Fittler, Bartlett. (Other playing touch etc) Also its a very very long season and injuries are a major concern so not to sure if not training now will determine anything at all.
 

Lindommer

Simon Poidevin (60)
Staff member
Also interesting to note that there aren't any independent girls schools rushing to open the doors to boys. I wonder why that is? :)
Good point. I can think of only three independent girls schools who've gone co-ed: Calrossy in Tamworth, SCEGGS Redlands in Cremorne and Rosebank in Five Dock. I, too, wonder why that is.
 

DaSchmooze

Jim Clark (26)
Then don't. Thousands of parents would have the social aspect of high school to a higher importance over academics and co-curricular activities. Not to mention that you can still get both to a high degree even with co-education...
Totally fine with this.

But why take an institution that was set up for the education of young men and turn it in to something it was never designed to be AND from what I read in the news lately, seems as if the consultation process was far from extensive.

There are other high fee co-ed alternatives. St. Andrews, SCEGGS Redlands, St. Lukes, William Clarke, Arden, Arndell, Northholm, Hills Grammar, Kinross, All Saints
 

DaSchmooze

Jim Clark (26)
Good point. I can think of only three independent girls schools who've gone co-ed: Calrossy in Tamworth, SCEGGS Redlands in Cremorne and Rosebank in Five Dock. I, too, wonder why that is.
Calrossy needed the enrolments and Redlands had suffered financial instability for a number of years so I speculate the boys coming in was too - as a result for a need for more enrolments. Rosebank had been co-ed since the 80s for Year 11 and 12 so it doesn't appear to be too much of a stretch to extend that in to Year 7 when they did in the 2000s.
 

Crashy

John Solomon (38)
There is a co-ed GPS school already - TAS - in case that hasnt been mentioned. I think Scots Bathurst is these days as well.
 

Lindommer

Simon Poidevin (60)
Staff member
Scots Bathurst, and All Saints', were established as boys' schools but both admitted girls in the recent decades (AS subsumed a girls' school, Marsden, when it went co-ed). Some five years ago the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst go into some serious financial difficulties and put its three independent schools up for sale. Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation purchased Macquarie Anglican Grammar School in Dubbo along with Orange AGS, but All Saints' in Bathurst was too big a bite for them. The Presbyterian Property Trust pounced shortly thereafter, bought AS and merged it with Scots Bathurst to form Scots All Saints College, Bathurst. It's co-ed.
 

Crashy

John Solomon (38)
got it! thanks
Now the most important question is what is their rugby program like? Scots Bathurst were pretty rugby mad from what I recall.
 
Scots Bathurst, and All Saints', were established as boys' schools but both admitted girls in the recent decades (AS subsumed a girls' school, Marsden, when it went co-ed). Some five years ago the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst go into some serious financial difficulties and put its three independent schools up for sale. Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation purchased Macquarie Anglican Grammar School in Dubbo along with Orange AGS, but All Saints' in Bathurst was too big a bite for them. The Presbyterian Property Trust pounced shortly thereafter, bought AS and merged it with Scots Bathurst to form Scots All Saints College, Bathurst. It's co-ed.
When economic practicality dictates it makes sense. That hardly seems the case in relation to Newington. There really doesn’t seem to be much in the way of hard data to support the educational benefit argument. As for the civilising argument, a) that’s the role of the family not the school, b) 95% of children in Australia already attend coed schools, I’d argue that misogyny in general is the result of other factors rather than school environments.
 

Goosestep

Jim Clark (26)
When economic practicality dictates it makes sense. That hardly seems the case in relation to Newington. There really doesn’t seem to be much in the way of hard data to support the educational benefit argument. As for the civilising argument, a) that’s the role of the family not the school, b) 95% of children in Australia already attend coed schools, I’d argue that misogyny in general is the result of other factors rather than school environments.
It’s also probably due to the fact the Newington is close geographically to Meriden, PLC and MLC .. All 3 are some of the best performing academic private schools in the state .. and a lot of the brothers go to Newington …

that should tell u something .
 
It’s also probably due to the fact the Newington is close geographically to Meriden, PLC and MLC .. All 3 are some of the best performing academic private schools in the state .. and a lot of the brothers go to Newington …

that should tell u something .
(For the Newington school council) It might be worth reading the newsletter that the then retiring Meriden principal circulated last year. It was staunchly in favour of a girls only school and shared substantial data supporting the position. Meriden is closest to Trinity whose own principal published an oped in the smh in recent weeks …… some schools won’t give into fashion, and stick to the sticking place.
 

Rudderless

Trevor Allan (34)
It’s also probably due to the fact the Newington is close geographically to Meriden, PLC and MLC .. All 3 are some of the best performing academic private schools in the state .. and a lot of the brothers go to Newington …

that should tell u something .
(For the Newington school council) It might be worth reading the newsletter that the then retiring Meriden principal circulated last year. It was staunchly in favour of a girls only school and shared substantial data supporting the position. Meriden is closest to Trinity whose own principal published an oped in the smh in recent weeks …… some schools won’t give into fashion, and stick to the sticking place.
GS and AtA

You both make very relevant points.

As a New OB (Prep and Senior school) I was shocked when I saw the announcement but not surprised.

There has been talk about this move since 2021, just 2 years after Michael Parker took over the reins as Headmaster in 2019. The previous Headmaster Dr David Mulford guided the school from 2008 to 2018.

Newington's focus on utilizing its limited Stanmore footprint whilst expanding infrastructure for its boys in Years 7 to 12 many years ago resulted in the Prep School (Wyvern K-6) being relocated streets away from the Main Campus, the Boarding House was watered down to a maximum of 50 (and limited to Years 9 to 12, some who are Sydney boys who only frequent the house Mon to Fri) which also was relocated streets away.

The question is why now ?

It's not because of low enrolment numbers, it's not because they are suffering financially, and I don't believe the argument it will somehow make them better human beings in society. If that was the case (and has been mentioned previously..........why aren't Girls-Only Schools converting to Co-ed ???).
The Council has trumpeted about the sudden interest in enrolment applications, might it be more convenient for a family to have siblings at the same school or are they on long waiting lists at PLC MLC and Meriden and this is Plan B ?

My son has just completed Year 12 at the Kings School as a full boarder (since Year 7). As a regional family the lack of boarder numbers at New and a start date in Year 9 was a joke.

Maybe this social compass the Headmaster and Council are jawboning about to make Newington's 'boys to men' better citizen's, maybe some of this coin they have allocated to spend on transitioning the school would be better spent bringing Boarding back on-site with healthy numbers (250+).

The interaction of my son with his 'Sydney' mates has both shaped each other for the better. He gets invited to Sydney family home's, in the holidays he reciprocates at our property 3 hours away.
In regard to interacting with girls his age, I can't keep up with the number of girls he knows, meets, celebrates parties with. This BS about Boys-Only schools living in a social cocoon is rubbish. Yes he's an extravert but for a kid living at a school 7 days a week in Parramatta for the last 6 years, goodness he sure has a lot of female friends.

Finally, if this decision does go thru, New's rugby results will suffer. They can either replicate the Barker College playbook or expect to see the 1st XV line up with Syd Boys High and Grammar in the 3rds.
 
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Lindommer

Simon Poidevin (60)
Staff member
It’s also probably due to the fact the Newington is close geographically to Meriden, PLC and MLC.
You omitted Santa Sabina at Strathfield. Former students from SS are shining ATM, including the Chief Scientist for the federal government. There are a goodish number of families who choose the most appropriate school for their sons and/or daughters, Catholic or otherwise.

This list of independent girls' schools in the inner west (to which we should add Danebank in Hurstville and St Scholastica's in Glebe) makes Newington's decision to go co-ed seem strange. As Newington was established by an act of the NSW Parliament in the mid-19th century the objectors to the co-ed decision might have a point.
 
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